Fantasy Suite: A Glimpse into the Fantasy
⤏ FANTASY SUITE CHALLENGES THE TRADITIONAL STRIP CLUB EXPERIENCE
⤏ WRITTEN BY GISSELLE PERNETT
⤏ PHOTOGRAPHY BY SOPHIE PRETTYMAN–BEAUCHAMP
If Cherry Jayne and Lil Sumthin had decided to name their queer and large bodied pole show, “Ethereal” they would have captured the vibe of the night perfectly. It’s their first ever emo strip show and the night’s soundtrack consists of emo classics from Panic! at the Disco to Fall Out Boy and 3OH3!. The audience becomes more entranced with each dancer and the cheers become a permanent addition to the night’s soundscape. Dollar bills are flying towards the stage. The energy is intoxicating and looking away for a second could mean missing an impressive spin down the pole and into splits or a sexy dip into the audience.
You’ve entered the Fantasy Suite.
Cherry Jayne and Lil Sumthin are out to transform the traditional strip club experience. The two met in Los Angeles at another queer and larger bodied pole show in 2018. The event —while not centered around pole dancing— would be the first time either had danced in front of an audience. But after being treated unfairly and not being credited for their help in organizing the event, the pair decided to take their production experience and create their own show.
“We get to create shows that we would want to see [and] put people on stage that don’t usually get to dance,” said Cherry Jayne. “That’s our biggest priority is putting Black dancers, queer dancers and trans dancers [on stage.] The bigger, the better. If you’re sexy and can dance, that's what we want.” And Fantasy Suite was born.
The self-proclaimed reality TV nerds took inspiration from the popular dating show, “The Bachelor.” If you’re unfamiliar, the fantasy suite refers to the overnight date the bachelor or bachelorette spends with the contestants away from the cameras and mics. It’s mysterious and sexy and perfectly encompasses the “cute and cheeky” vibe the pair was looking for.
Within the past year, the two have worked hard to curate a solid lineup that prioritizes dancers of marginalized identities. Although each Fantasy Suite show is completely funded by Lil Sumthin and Cherry Jayne, the duo make sure to give the dancers the fun and professional environment they deserve, including creating promotional material for each dancer at every show. Even in our conversation prior to their emo strip show, both producers make it a point to make sure the dancers are photographed equally. This attention is shown to the Fantasy Suite audience as well. During their shows, the pair —who often time serve as the unofficial–official hosts and DJs— make sure to shout out the returning audience members and attendees who have also attended their Bay Area pole show, Hella Juicy.
“our biggest priority is putting black dancers, queer dancers, trans dancers [on stage.] The bigger, the better. If you're sexy and can dance, that's what we want.”
— Cherry Jayne
Booking venues as a queer and larger bodied pole show came with its own set of hurdles rooted in the industry that traditionally caters to and celebrates thin cisgender bodies. “When they see a fat person, they’re like ‘Oh wait, we didn’t sign up for that,” said Cherry Jayne. The first Fantasy Suite show ended in an argument with the venue owners after they complained about the show’s low attendance. The venue —despite having a big following on social media— chose not to promote the show.
“It's hard when the venue is not on board with promoting. It makes it way harder to do these shows because if you don't post about us, it makes us look like we're not legit. I always check whenever I'm going to go to a venue. I'm going to see what's on your page,” Cherry Jayne continued. “I'm going to check around and make sure it's a real event. Anyone could just say anything. It makes it look not as legit if the venue, —especially if they have a lot of followers— is not posting about it.”
The stark contrast in experiences —from lack of promotion, and auditions to minimal stage time and pole class exclusivity— only adds on to the mental challenges queer and/or larger bodied dancers face in comparison to their thin cisgender peers. Despite there being an increase in the number of plus size friendly pole dancing events and classes in LA, large bodied dancers are still hard to come across.
“It’s taken us four years to start getting this project recognized with a returning clientele and a core group of dancers,” said Lil Sumthin. “If you don’t have community, it’s going to take a lot out of you.”
That’s part of the reason the pair began offering their own classes out of their home studio in Long Beach. After that first show in 2018, the two took additional pole classes but quickly found that there weren’t enough studios modifying the movements to accommodate people with larger bodies. From there, Cherry Jayne and Lil Sumthin transitioned to practicing and planning shows in friend’s garages along with other dancers who have now become Fantasy Suite regulars. Teaching their own classes allowed them to reach a wider scope of people —both larger bodied and new to pole dancing— who were interested but intimidated by traditional pole studios. As conscious instructors, the two tailor the movements to the student’s physical capabilities instead of sticking to a strict routine— which was something they noticed in pole studios. “We’re performing with the abilities that we have right now,” said Lil Sumthin “We can find something with the abilities that anyone has the second they want to start. We’re here to finesse that. The body you have is the best body.”
“we're performing with the abilities that we have right now.”
— Lil Sumthin
For Cherry Jayne, that’s the best part of putting together the Fantasy Suite shows. “Having people say ‘Thank you so much for doing this’ means so much.” Showcasing the sexiness in diversity has allowed Fantasy Suite to expand their reach, building up a dedicated audience and attracting more dancers. The latest Tears in the Club show was Nikita’s first time performing with Fantasy Suite. After her friend raved about the LA pole show’s welcoming environment, Nikita made the same day trip from Sacramento to LA to make her Fantasy Suite debut.
“It’s so inspiring to see so many performers that have all different flavors and all different kinds of sexy. I feel so validated and I feel so much like I have a community. [I’m] inspired.”
The strong sense of community Lil Sumthin and Cherry Jayne have fostered is clear. Tears in the Club ended with all the dancers and pole fairies celebrating, and hyping each other up around the stage they shared throughout the event. There’s an excitement to talk about their routines and accomplishments at the end of the night. I had to take a moment to talk to Cupid Cooki and rave about their theatrical vampire performance to Kim Petra’s “Close Your Eyes.” And in the green room when I mentioned wanting to learn how to pole dance but feeling too intimidated the dancers were encouraging and graciously suggested their favorite studios. Fantasy Suite was obviously the number one suggestion.
The future of Fantasy Suite is exciting. Earlier this year, Fantasy Suite danced alongside the feminist protest and performance art group, Pussy Riot at Catch One in LA. While the goals have shifted since its formation, making sure they’re able to guarantee their dancers a fair wage and finding a home venue remains their top priority. For now, Cherry Jayne, Lil Sumthin and the dancers at Fantasy Suite will continue to promote their show to more stages.
“When the doors open, that's when it's on and it's just a blur. That's the best moment and it always goes too fast. Dancing is a blackout. You have to ask your friends what happened?”